Laundry appliances



June 10, 1958 c. R. STELLJES ETAL 2,837,927

LAUNDRY APPLIANCES Filed May 7, 1955 s Shets-Sheet 1 [N VEN T0125CHARLES R. STELL JES J DHN P. ROGERS ATTORNEY f 10, 1958 c. R. STELLJESETAL 2,837,927

LAUNDRY APPLIANCES Filed May 7, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I' 80 [2 I[Z//////////////////////////) I I N VENTURE; B HAHLES R. ETELL JEE JEIHN1? ROGERS .EY

ATTURNEY disengagement.

States Patent 2,837,927 Patented June 10, 1958 has LAUNDRY APPLIANCESCharles R. Stelljes, Fayetteville, and John P. Rogers, Liverpool, N. Y.,assignors, by mesne assignments, to The Murray Corporation of America,Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application May 7, 1953, SerialNo. 353,465

8 Claims. (CI. 74-81) This invention relates to laundry appliances, andmore particularly to transmissions therefor having improved clutches forcontrolling the operation of the washing elements.

In .washing machines, it has been the practice to employ a continuouslyoperating motor, and to provide clutch means for coupling the washingelements, such as agitator, centrifugal extractor, or wringer, to themotor or motor shaft at will. Such clutches have generally includedrelatively heavy biasing springs so that manual effort required forengagement or disengagement has been quite substantial.

The present invention is directed toward providing a clutch constructionapplied directly to the motor shaft requiring a minimum of manual effortfor engagement or The invention is further directed toward theutilization of helical self-engaging clutches of the L. G. S. type, withcontrol means therefor, and the coordination of a clutch of the typedescribed, with a braking means for the driven shaft when disengagementis elfected.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear morefully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understoodthat the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and arenot designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, referencebeing had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a washing machine with parts brokenaway, showing the controls and washing elements of a washing machine towhich the invention is applied;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a washing machine transmission with the topremoved, parts being broken away and shown in section;

Figure 3 is a sectional view longitudinal of the drive shaft takensubstantially on thegline 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 ofFigure 3;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the drive shaft takensubstantially on the line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken through the agitator shaftsubstantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line7-7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 88 ofFigure 7; and

' Figure 9 is a fragmentary end elevation of the control takensubstantially on the line 99 of Figure 7. v

Referring to the drawings, and particularly Figures 1 and 2, there isshown a washing machine 10, having a wash tub 12, an extractor tub 14,an agitator 16, and a centrifugal extractor basket 18, located withinthe tubs 12 and 14, respectively. Mounted beneath the tubs is atransmission casing 20 adapted to provide oscillatory motion for theagitator 16 and high speed rotary motion for the extractor basket 18.Such transmission is provided with a motor-driven shaft 22 journaled incasing bearings 24 and 26. One end of said shaft extends outwardly ofthe casing and is coupled as at 28 to a drive motor 30.

Centrally within the casing on a vertical shaft 32 is mounted a wormwheel or gear 34 driving an eccentric 36, the latter being adapted toactuate the agitator 16 through a connecting rod 38, sector gear 40, andpinion 42 keyed to the agitator drive shaft 44. On the motordrivenshaft, there is provided a spiral toothed member in the form of a worm46, such worm being freely rotatable on the shaft and being adapted tobe clutched to the shaft by an L. G. S. overrunning clutch generallyindicated at 48. The motor-driven shaft 22 is provided at the endadjacent the bearing 24 with a spiral toothed member 50 in the form of aspiral gear, such gear meshing with a mating spiral gear 52 mounted uponthe extractor basket drive shaft 54, such gear 52 being freely rotatableon said shaft except for frictional coupling, as will appearhereinafter. The spiral gear so is adapted to be coupled to the shaft 22through an overrunning L. G. S. type clutch generally indicated at 56.

Referring to Figure 3 of the drawings, there is shown the worm 46 havingone or more spiral teeth 47, freely rotatably mounted upon the shaft 22,such worm being disposed between fixed collars 58 and 60, a clearanceand spacing sleeve 62 being provided adjacent collar 53. The collar 60and the abutting end of the worm 46, formed as an integral collar 64,are provided with cylindrical aligned surfaces 66 and 68, respectively.Such cylindrical surfaces are bounded on the collar 60 and on the worm46 by end shoulders 70 and 72, respectively. Mounted upon thecylindrical surfaces 66 and 68 and between the end shoulders 79 and 72is a helical resilient coil spring L. G. S. clutch element'74, suchelement being stressed to have light frictional engagement with thecylindrical surfaces 66 and 68. The end of the element 74 positioned onthe collar 60 is provided with a radial extension 76 and the spiral wrapof the helical coil is such that upon rotation of the shaft 22 in thedirection of the arrow A, frictional slippage of the element upon thecollar 60 or upon the collar 64 tends to contract the diameter of suchelement whereby to positively drive the worm 46 from the shaft-drivencollar 6%.

It will be understood that in washing machines of the type described,the motor is adapted to continuously operate whereby the pump 78 may atall times drain the tubs, and will always be effective to remove thewater from either the wash tub when the drain valve is opened, or fromthe centrifugal extractor tub. Consequently, it is vdesirable to be ableto stop the agitator drive at will,

leaving the motor running continuously. In order to stop the agitatordrive, there is provided in the cover 21 of the transmission casing 29,a manually operated sliding plunger 80, such plunger being adapted tomove into and out of the path of the radial end 76 of the helical member74. The control plunger 80 can be actuated by a lever 82 fulcrumed as at84 on a transmission case-carried bracket 36. The lever in turn isactuated by a link 88 having a slide knob 99 conveniently located uponthe control panel 13 of the washing machine. It will be understood thatwhen the plunger 80 is projected into the path of the radial end 76,rotation of the helical clutch element will be stopped, and that furtherrelative rotation between the collar 60 and the end of the helicalelement associated therewith will, because of light frictional contacttherebetween, expand the helical element to relieve its drivingconnection with the collar 60. Thus, the drive to the agitator 16 isbroken or stopped by the simple expedient of moving the plunger from theposition shown 3 in Figures 3 and 4 to a lowered position in the path ofthe end 76 of element 74.

In order to control the drive of the extractor basket, a similar helicalcoil spring L. G. S. coupling is provided, as shown more in detail inFigures 5 and 7. The helical gear 56 is freely rotatably mounted uponthe shaft 22 and held in position between spaced collars 92 and 94afilxed to the shaft 22. The collar 94 has a cylindrical portion 96aligned with a cylindrical portion 98 formed on a hub 100 integral withthe spiral gear 50. The cylindrical portions 96 and 98 are provided withend shoulders 182 and 194, respectively, and there is mounted upon thecylindrical surfaces 96 and 98 and between the shoulders 102 and 104, ahelical resilient clutch spring 106 having light resilient engagementwith the surfaces 96 and 98. The end of the helical clutch spring 106 inengagement with the collar as is provided with a radial extension 108.It will be'understood that the helix of the clutch spring 166 is suchthat rotation of the shaft 22 in the direction of rotation A willeffect, through the light frictional contact of such spring with thesurfaces 96 and 98, cause contraction and gripping, whereby topositively drive from the collar 94 the helical gear 50. In order torender the clutch ineffective to drive the helical gear 50, there isprovided a manually operable swinging arm 110 afiixcd to a rock shaft142, and adapted to be swung into and out of the path of the coil springend 108. Upon arresting rotation of the coil spring 106, the end thereofassociated with the collar 94 is caused to expand and thereby releaseits engagement with the collar 94 and terminate the drive.

The centrifugal extractor drive shaft 54 is journaled in the lower wallof the transmission casing 20 as at 112, and in the upper wall 21 as at114. The driven helical gear 52 is mounted for free rotation upon theshaft 54 and positioned between split rings 116 and 113, the ring 116having a thrust washer 117. The upper end of gear 52 has a friction face120 bearing against friction lining 121 of a friction brake plate 122mounted for free roration on the shaft 54, which brake plate bearsthrough lining 123 against a clutch collar 124 keyed as at 126 forrotation with the shaft 54, but slidably mounted on such shaft. Acompression spring 128 acts between the back side of the friction faceflange 130 of the collar 124 and an annular cup thrust washer 132bearing against a thrust bearing face 136 on the under face of the uppercasing wall 21.

It will thus be seen that upon rotation of the helical gear 52, afriction drive is provided through the brake plate 122 to the collar 124and thence to the shaft 54, whereby the helical gear 52 may rotate atfull speed as driven by the motor and gradually accelerate the extractorbasket shaft 54.

When it is desired to stop the rotation of the extractor basket 13,rotation is braked frictionally so as to quickly bring the basket torest. For this purpose, the brake friction plate 122 is provided with aradial lug 138, adapted to engage the arm 14f) atfixcd to the rock shaft142, the arm 140 being adapted to be rocked from a position as shown inFigure 7 to a position in the path of rotation of the lug 138. The rockshaft extends crosswise of the transmission housing, and is journaled inthe side walls 144 and 146 thereof, and such rock shaft carries the arm.115} previously referred to as the means for engaging the radial end163 of the helical clutch coil 106. The arm 113 is relatively wide, sothat upon swinging the shaft 142. such arm quickly moves into the pathof the radial end 108. Upon further swinging of the shaft 142, the arm140 moves into the path of the lug 138. Since the shaft 22 rotates atfull motor speed. which may be 1740 R. P. M., or thereabouts, the arm110 engages the end 163 within ,4, of a second after the edge 111 movesinto the path of the end 108, the time being so short as toassure-engugement before the'arm' 140 can be rocked'far 4 enouglr'to'engage the brake disk lug 138. Thus, the power is disconnected from thedrive gear 50, and the brake plate stopped in close sequence, afterwhich, the friction between clutch flange 124 and the brake plate 122rapidly decelerates the spin basket.

The angle through which the rock shaft 142 can be rotated iscontrolledby'a pin 150 lying in sector-shaped slots 152. Such shaft 142is connected by a crank arm 154 to a lever 156 and manual slide control158.

When the rock shaft is rotated to the drive position, the arm 14% clearsthe lug 138 before the edge 111 of the arm 11% frees the radial end 198of the L. G. S. clutch 56.

While the invention is shown adapted to a two-tub washing andcentrifugal extractor type of washing machine, it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in theconstruction and arrangement may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in theart, reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition ofthe limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A washing machine transmission comprising a casing, a relatively highspeed motor-driven worm shaft journaled in said casing, a toothed memberfreely rotatable on said shaft having at least one spiral tooth, arelatively low speed gear wheel journaled in said casing adapted todrive a washing element and having spiral teeth meshing with saidtoothed member, a collar affixed to said shaft on one side of saidtoothed member, said collar having a cylindrical surface, and saidtoothed member having an integral collar abutting said shaft-affixedcollar and having a cylindrical surface of like diameter, a resilienthelical clutch. coil positioned over said surfaces in light grippingrelation and otherwise free of said surfaces and adapted throughself-gripping operation in one direction of rotation to positively drivesaid toothed member from said shaft-driven collar, and relativelystationary means movably mounted on said casing for at will engaging theend of said coil on said fixed collar to expand and stop the rotationthereof and declutch said toothed member from said fixed collar.

2. A washing machine transmission comprising a casing, arelatively highspeed motor-driven worm shaft journaled in said casing, a worm freelyrotatable on said shaft, a relatively low speed worm wheel journaled insaid casing adapted to drive a washing element and meshing with saidworm, a collar affixed to said shaft on one side of said worm, saidcollar having a cylindrical surface, and said Worm having an integralcollar abutting said shaft-afiixed collar and having a cylindricalsurface of like diameter, a resilient helical clutch coil positionedover said surfaces in light gripping relation and adapted throughself-gripping operation in one direction of rotation to positively drivesaid worm from said shaft-driven collar, and relatively stationary meansmovably mounted on said casing for at will engaging. the end of saidcoil on said fixed collar to expand and stop the rotation thereof anddeclutch said worm from said fixed collar.

. 3. A washing machine transmission comprising a casing, a relativelyhigh speed motor-driven worm shaft journaled in said casing, a wormfreely rotatable on said shaft, a relatively low speed worm wheeljournaled in said casing having an eccentric, an agitator shaft, andmeans including a connecting rod for oscillating said agitator uponrotation of said worm wheel, a collar affixed to said shaft on one sideof said worm, said collar having a cylindrical surface, and said wormhaving an' integral. collar abutting said shaft-affixed collar andhaving a cylindrical surface of like diameter, a resilient helicalclutch. coil positioned over said surfaces in light gripping.relation'and adapted through self-gripping operation in one direction ofrotation to positively drive said worm. from said shaft-driven collar,and relatively stationary means movably mounted on said casing for atwill engaging the end of said coil on said fixed collar to expand andstop the rotation thereof and declutch said worm from said fixed collar.

4. A washing machine transmission comprising a casing, a relatively highspeed motor-driven worm shaft journaled in said casing, a spiral gearfreely rotatable on said shaft, a washing element drive shaft journaledin said casing, a relatively low speed spiral gear wheel freelyjournaled on said drive shaft and meshing with said spiral gear, acollar affixed to said driven shaft on one side of said spiral gear,said collar having a cylindrical surface, and said spiral gear having anintegral collar abutting said shaft-afiixed collar and having acylindrical surface of like diameter, a resilient helical clutch coilpositioned over said surfaces in light gripping relation and adaptedthrough self-gripping operation in one direction of rotation topositively drive said spiral gear from said shaft-driven collar,relatively stationary means movably mounted on said casing for at willengaging the end of said coil on said fixed collar to expand and stopthe rotation thereof and declutch said spiral gear from said fixedcollar, and friction drive means coupling said spiral gear wheel withsaid drive shaft.

5. A washing machine transmission comprising a casing, a relatively highspeed motor-driven worm shaft journaled in said casing, a spiral gearfreely rotatable on said shaft, a washing element drive shaft journaledin said casing, a relatively low speed spiral gear wheel freelyjournaled on said drive shaft and meshing with said spiral gear, acollar afiixed to said driven shaft on one side of said spiral gear,said collar having a cylindrical surface, and said spiral gear having anintegral collar abutting said shaft-affixed collar and having acylindrical surface of like diameter, a resilient helical clutch coilpositioned over said surfaces in light gripping relation and adaptedthrough self-gripping operation in one direction of rotation topositively drive said spiral gear from said shaft-driven collar,relatively stationary means movably mounted on said casing for at willengaging the end of said coil on said fixed collar to expand and stopthe rotation thereof and declutch said spiral gear from said fixedcollar, and friction drive means coupling said spiral gear wheel withsaid drive shaft, including a member keyed to said drive shaft, and anintermediate friction member freely rotatable on said shaft.

6. A washing machine transmission comprising a casing, a relatively highspeed motor-driven worm shaft journaled in said casing, a spiral gearfreely rotatable on said shaft, a washing element drive shaft journaledin said casing, a relatively low speed spiral gear wheel freelyjournaled on said drive shaft and meshing with said spiral gear, acollar afiixed to said driven shaft on one side of said spiral gear,said collar having a cylindrical surface, and said spiral gear having anintegral collar abutting said shaft-aflixed collar and having acylindrical surface of like diameter, a resilient helical clutch coilpositioned over said surfaces in light gripping relation and adaptedthrough self-gripping operation in one direction of rotation topositively drive said spiral gear from said shaft-driven collar,relatively stationary means for at will engaging the end of said coil onsaid fixed collar to expand and stop the rotation thereof and declutchsaid spiral gear from said fixed collar, friction drive means couplingsaid spiral gear wheel with said drive shaft, including a member keyedto said drive shaft, and an intermediate friction member freelyrotatable on said shaft, and frictionally engaging said spiral drivegear wheel and said member, whereby to drive said member from said wheelthrough said member.

7. A washing machine transmission comprising a casing, a relatively highspeed motor-driven worm shaft journaled in said casing, a spiral gearfreely rotatable on said shaft, a washing element drive shaft journaledin said casing, a relatively low speed spiral gear wheel freelyjournaled on said drive shaft and meshing with said spiral gear, acollar afiixed to said driven shaft on one side of said spiral gear,said collar having a cylindrical surface, and said spiral gear having anintegral collar abutting said shaft-affixed collar and having acylindrical surface of like diameter, a resilient helical clutch coilpositioned over said surfaces in light gripping relation and adaptedthrough self-gripping operation in one direction of rotation topositively drive said spiral gear from said shaft-driven collar,relatively stationary means for at will engaging the end of said coil onsaid fixed collar to expand and stop the rotation thereof and declutchsaid spiral gear from said fixed collar, friction drive means couplingsaid spiral gear wheel with said drive shaft, including a member keyedto said drive shaft, and an intermediate friction member freelyrotatable on said shaft, and frictionally engaging said spiral drivegear wheel and said member, whereby to drive said member from said wheelthrough said member, and means for arresting rotation of said member.

8. A washing machine transmission comprising a casing, a relatively highspeed motor-driven worm shaft journaled in said casing, a spiral gearfreely rotatable on said shaft, a washing element drive shaft journaledin said casing, a relativey low speed spiral gear wheel freely journaledon said drive shaft and meshing with said spiral gear, a collar aflixedto said driven shaft on one side of said spiral gear, said collar havinga cylindrical surface, and said spiral gear having an integral collarabutting said shaft-affixed collar and having a cylindrical surface oflike diameter, a resilient helical clutch coil positioned over saidsurfaces in light gripping relation and adapted through self-grippingoperation in one direction of rotation to positively drive said spiralgear from said shaft-driven collar, relatively stationary means for atwill engaging the end of said coil on said fixed collar to expand andstop the rotation thereof and declutch said spiral gear from said fixedcollar, friction drive means coupling said spiral gear wheel with saiddrive shaft, including a member keyed to said drive shaft, and anintermediate friction member freely rotatable on said shaft, andfrictionally engaging said spiral drive gear wheel and said member,whereby to drive said member from said wheel through said member, meansfor arresting rotation of said member, and coordinating means foroperating said arresting means only upon actuation of said stationaryengaging means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,791,769 Van Berkel Feb. 10, 1931 2,111,143 Geldhof Mar. 15, 19382,598,633 Baldwin May 27, 1952

